1st Day of School

Kai is back to school again. He started his second year at Sunny Hollow Montessori School, just right across the river in St. paul. It was very clear over the summer how much he loved his school (since he was missing it while he was away and at a different summer camp) and we are thrilled that he has such a positive community at Sunny Hollow.

It felt so different walking into the door this year as we greeted our friends, said hello to the teachers we know, and had smiles (instead of tears) on our faces. Kai walked confidently down the hallway without even a glance back in my direction. Last year, Kai cried for a couple of weeks. So, this was a definite improvement!

He really loves the other children in his room and my little social butterfly is happy to be with around 20 other kids. We also have been working on affirmations this year and we say before bedtime, "I will have a wonderful day at school tomorrow," or "I will walk proudly down the hallways," or "I will help new children who need a friend." As hokie as it sounds, it is working. Although, on our second morning, he woke up and said, "I will not have a wonderful day at school today. I will have a wonderful day watching TV instead." Ummm....nope, not a chance, little man.

Cool, Dudes.

Lifesavers

NOW

So, even before Kai was born, I knew I wanted to do ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) through the Minneapolis Schools....sure, I needed to learn a lot (still do) but mainly I wanted to meet other mothers who were having some similar experiences.

I had no idea that not only would I meet two friends, Andrea and Ivy, in the class (and plenty of other wonderful moms too), but their children would become Kai's best buddies and we would offer each other support and love through the thin and thick of it all!

I've written (and talked) about them often and here are some new photos as we've grown to each include a new baby to our families-- so, now there are 6 little ones! We are still doing our babysitting co-op and still learning about this crazy thing called motherhood.

THEN

Swimming Lessons

Well, Kai sure is one lucky boy. Today, he had his first day of school and his first day of swim lessons. Pops (my dad) and Nana Kit (his wife) volunteered to take him to swim lessons each week. Kai has dramatically improved in swimming over the summer. The week in Lake Shasta (truly, he was IN the lake all week) and inner tubing behind any boat he could find all summer helped build his confidence.

So, now, he gets to learn how to swim and be with his Pops and Nana Kit. What could be better? And, in this family of swimmers (Joe's Mom was an Olympian swimmer, my Dad went to the Olympic swimming trials, then there is Joe who was an all-american swimmer in college, and Aunt Rosie who kicked some swimming Division 1 booty) swimming is a serious matter. Plus, more than a little fun too...

Sitting

We were so busy watching Ruby crawl that we didn't notice that she can sit up on her own, too. Kai said to us one day, "Look, she can sit up" and she certainly can!

She is a real multi-tasker, I guess. She's scooting-crawling, sitting, drooling, and waving hello. Up at the cabin, we made a little "nest" for her, since when she does fall over, it's a big bump on the hardwood floors.

She also is losing most of her hair and it's coming in a bit more red and blond. Joe's Mom, Binka, tells us that their are red heads in the family, so we'll see...

Also, Joe weighed her and she is almost 20 lbs. We are thinking she is going to take after her mama...all that multi-tasking and height (hopefully minus the drooling).

We're back from our last adventure of the summer. We spent a week up at the cabin in Ely with Pops and Nana Kit (plus, Joey joined us for a night too). We went inner tubing every day, swam in the chilly lake, played in the sandbox, went on a "date" to eat blueberry/peach/blackberry pie, killed wolf spiders, took saunas, had "movie night", and enjoyed spending time together relaxing in heaven...seriously, we are going to miss Ely this winter.

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Don't Let It End

Shhhh....please don't tell Summer that it is coming to an end. We are having way too much fun.

Moving

Ruby is on the move! Since coming home from the houseboat (this photo is from the houseboat where she tried desperately to move in such a small space), she is transitioning from scooting to crawling. She gets up on her hands and knees and moves backwards. She has a huge smile on her face when I come in from the kitchen and find her underneath the couch with just her head sticking out! However, she is not enjoying the hardwood floors (the only time I wish we had all carpet is during this time in a baby's life) and her bumps and bangs are leaving her a bit tattered. I don't think Kai was doing this much moving at 5 months but I think Ruby June is trying to keep up with her brother already.

MN Zoo

Marie, Me, Ruby J, Kai, Owen, Juniper, Walter, Jess, and Tricia
The Owl with Owen, Kai, and Walter
It was such a hot day that Ruby is sucking on the ice pack

We have been lucky to see many of our dear friends from Kai's school over the summer. School starts after Labor Day and Kai is excited to see his friends and receive more "lessons" from his teachers. He announced to me this morning that he couldn't wait for the first day. You might remember that he once told me that he wished his school would die and go to heaven so he didn't have to go there anymore-- so, he has come a long way, baby!

Best Laid Plans

So, months ago, I began thinking about summer. We decided we wanted Kai to go to summer camp a couple mornings a week. The plan was that I would work during this time and my mom (the best babysitter around) would hang out with Ruby June.

As you know, nothing is cheap. But, we were fine writing the check out knowing that Kai would absolutely love it. There were farm animals to feed, hikes to be walked, and many new friends to meet. In fact, we were convinced that Kai would like this new summer program so much that he wouldn't want to go back to his Montessori school.

Oh, how we were wrong. Yes, how the best laid plans go wrong (or the expression goes something like that, right?).

Tomorrow is the last day of the summer camp and he has not wanted to go one single morning. I think he likes the program, but misses his friends from his school year. I have loved getting to know the teachers (all amazing). Plus, the building and the outdoor space (more than 200 acres) is incredible. It is exactly where I would like to go to summer camp as a 3 1/2 year old.

But, he tells me he doesn't like the "work" (Montessori term), hasn't made any friends (coming from the most social boy we know-- just ask all of the people walking by our house who get greetings from him), and would rather stay home with Nonny (this may be the true reason-- his Nonny is just too much fun! Who wouldn't want to hang out with her instead?).

But, still he has gone most Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the summer. Often there are tears, but we've worked through it. But, I decided to give him a choice for the final day of camp tomorrow. I asked him tonight at bed time if he had made his decision.

I asked a simple question, "Kai, have you decided if you are going to summer camp tomorrow?"

He thought about for awhile and then said, "You know, what I want to do, Mama? I want to drive a big trailer, with a big bulldozer on it. Then, I want to park in the lot in front of summer camp. Then, I'll get in the bulldozer and tear down the entire camp. Then, I'll put the camp in the dump truck. I'll drive the dump truck, which is orange, to the lake. At the lake, a big barge trash container will be there. I will drive the big barge to a big field. Then, I'll dump summer camp out in the field and drive away."

All I said to him was, "I take it that is a no, then?"

Seriously? Seriously.

Hair

Kai has asked all summer to get a haircut. He wanted it SHORT!! He said he wanted it short like his dad and then he even went to the extreme to say he wanted it short like his Pops (My dad is bald!)

So, we went to his "salon" (this was another one of his requirements) and he told the stylist that he wanted it super short. We all decided together to not give him a buzz cut and he seemed happy with the length of the cut (as short as he ever has had it, but not too short). Then, later, while shopping, I caught him looking in the mirror. He was playing with his hair, looking at it from different angles, with a very serious look on his face. He came over and told me that it wasn't short enough! I laughed so hard because it was such a woman thing to do, not a 3 1/2 year old boy thing.

Bumbo

The bumbo is back! I remember Kai liking it, but it seems RJ loves it. She is anxious to sit upright (but she's not there yet developmentally). So, the bumbo gives me an extra few minutes to make dinner and gives her a break, every once in awhile, from her constant stomach crunches.Kai at 7 months

Ruby June at 4 months

Moving

Ruby is on the move! I kept hoping for a baby who was maybe at the end of the learning curve and not quite so eager to move (in order to make things a bit easier for this tired mom), but no siree-- this girl has other plans!

She is rolling like crazy, constantly on her tummy doing push ups and cobra yoga poses, and enjoying anything that gets her moving.

A couple of weeks ago, I came out of the kitchen and found her on her tummy in the dining room (she had been in the living room on a blanket). I called Kai over and asked if he had moved her. He said he hadn't. So, I thought-- hmm, that's odd....I put her back in the living room and witnessed, just minutes later, the great migration. Ruby is officially scooting and she can go far! Life has changed for us dramatically-- no more putting her on the middle of the bed or leaving her in the middle of Kai's small lego pieces. This girl has made up her mind. I can just see her trying to figure out the whole crawling thing. I predict it will happen quickly!

Roar!

I think I may have mentioned once or twice (or ten or twenty) times that we live in the best neighborhood! We had the annual Longfellow Corn Feed this past week-- there was plenty of corn, bouncy houses to jump and climb on, and face painting.

Kai chose to have his face painted like a tiger which is fitting since he pretends to be a tiger all of the time. Often, he will say, "I have the loudest tiger roar in the whole world!!! " (insert truly the loudest tiger roar in the whole world) or if he gets upset and can't find the words, he transforms into a tiger and roars (this isn't quite as cute as the first example).

The face painter at the corn feed was probably the best I've ever seen-- wouldn't you agree?

Car Camping

We had our first car camping experience this past weekend. We headed to Baker Park, which is a part of the MN Three Rivers Park District, to enjoy the luxuries of camping. We were near to good bike trails, a big playground, a sandy beach, and some low-key hiking trails. Most importantly, we were with our friends, Andrea and Randy, along with Kai's best buddy, Soren, and Ruby's new friend, Sevi. We had such a wonderful time!

Napping Al Fresco

Play Date

Sign of a good play date:

(out of the blue, at dinner tonight, after playing with his best friend from school)

Kai: When will I die?

Joe: When you get very old.

Kai: How will I die?

Molly: Usually people die when they get old and sick.

Kai: I don't want to die.

Molly: Kai, you will not die for a very, very long time.

Joe: Mom and Dad will not die for a long time, Uncle Joey will not die, even Apu and Binka will not die for a long time (Joe's parents)

Kai: (again) I don't want to die.

(long pause)

Kai: Will Marius die?

Molly: When Marius is old too.

Kai: Good. I don't ever want to stop playing with him.

Ely

We spent 10 days in Ely over the 4th of July- it was the longest I've been up there since I lived there. We did it all- hiked to the Kawishiwi Falls, swam in our chilly lake, went into town for the July 4th parade and fireworks, boated on our lake, read good books, and made plenty of desserts. I was not ready to leave...I think next year we will stay even longer!